New IT Employee
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I am trying to prepare for a new IT Employee. I want to minimize his learning curve of our network the best I can. Here are some of the things I have done:
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Prepared a brand new Windows 8.1 PC. I ran all the Windows updates on it.
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I installed Vsphere Plugins, Office, Keepass, IP Scanner, Server Manager, and Some of our Software management solutions, and etc.
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I created a folder on his desktop called Helpful IT admin links which contains:
A) Grouping of Servers by function and by name. Within that list, I created each shortcut to the Server using .VNC files which give him the ability to VNC to each server right from the list
B) Links to all the web management portals.
C) Network Documentation. A logical map of all PCs and Servers for each branch. As well as the names and IPs
D) I have a KeePass DB with all shared device, VNC, local admin passwords, etc.
Is there anything else I can do to help him quickly acclimate to our network?
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No one every did this for me!
I always inherit a mess!
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Wow.. that's awesome.. OK I'm taking some pointers so I can get something like this setup for myself.
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@Dashrender said:
Wow.. that's awesome.. OK I'm taking some pointers so I can get something like this setup for myself.
Yep...this seems like the nicest thing I have ever seen.
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When I walk into a new client's office, usually there is NO documentation and no one knows anything. I guess it's SOP for small IT shops to leave no documentation for the client.
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I have always walked into a mess as well. It seems like it takes about 2-4 months to get this kind of stuff down.
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Sticking with my bourbon and coffee mug suggestion :-P. Yeah I inherit garbage that makes little to no sense, you're a great dude Joel.
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that is awesome. I have walked into a few situations but there was always another IT employee willing to help. This is my first gig in a small IT department.
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@RAM. said:
Sticking with my bourbon and coffee mug suggestion :-P. Yeah I inherit garbage that makes little to no sense, you're a great dude Joel.
The sooner he learns our network, the sooner he can help me out
undercover, eh?
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I would be careful with initial admin passwords till you have a handle on how he/she tackles problems. It can be a pain correcting issues when 2-3 things are changed at the same time, and maybe not documented as well as you do it. If you have to go back, knowing where to go sure makes the battle a bit less hectic. Just my experience with teaching new employee's who may bump around in your system even with the well documented information you provide. Do you know his level of experience? For sure? I have had "Paper Techs" with certs, good at study and tests, but not at being inside or on an actual system. So I tend to err on caution, but if he/she is a performer then I have no issue allowing full access.
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@IRJ said:
@RAM. said:
Sticking with my bourbon and coffee mug suggestion :-P. Yeah I inherit garbage that makes little to no sense, you're a great dude Joel.
The sooner he learns our network, the sooner he can help me out
undercover, eh?
Yes sir, after the snafoo went down, I don't want to be a recognizable house hold name, so I comment maybe one or twice a week on the other account to prove I'm not dead, but I'm hanging on my alt to remain somewhat anonymous. Oh and do you guys pay to relocate ;-).
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@RAM. said:
@IRJ said:
@RAM. said:
Sticking with my bourbon and coffee mug suggestion :-P. Yeah I inherit garbage that makes little to no sense, you're a great dude Joel.
The sooner he learns our network, the sooner he can help me out
undercover, eh?
Yes sir, after the snafoo went down, I don't want to be a recognizable house hold name, so I comment maybe one or twice a week on the other account to prove I'm not dead, but I'm hanging on my alt to remain somewhat anonymous. Oh and do you guys pay to relocate ;-).
I dont know. I think they might if they found the right fit.
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@IRJ said:
@RAM. said:
@IRJ said:
@RAM. said:
Sticking with my bourbon and coffee mug suggestion :-P. Yeah I inherit garbage that makes little to no sense, you're a great dude Joel.
The sooner he learns our network, the sooner he can help me out
undercover, eh?
Yes sir, after the snafoo went down, I don't want to be a recognizable house hold name, so I comment maybe one or twice a week on the other account to prove I'm not dead, but I'm hanging on my alt to remain somewhat anonymous. Oh and do you guys pay to relocate ;-).
I dont know. I think they might if they found the right fit.
well if you guys need anything
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@ChrisJ said:
I would be careful with initial admin passwords till you have a handle on how he/she tackles problems. It can be a pain correcting issues when 2-3 things are changed at the same time, and maybe not documented as well as you do it. If you have to go back, knowing where to go sure makes the battle a bit less hectic. Just my experience with teaching new employee's who may bump around in your system even with the well documented information you provide. Do you know his level of experience? For sure? I have had "Paper Techs" with certs, good at study and tests, but not at being inside or on an actual system. So I tend to err on caution, but if he/she is a performer then I have no issue allowing full access.
I thought about the password thing and here is my take on it. If it doesnt work out, I will have to change all the passwords anyway. Why put him through the torture of recording each password on his own?
Either way, if he leaves I would have to reset all the passwords.
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@RAM. said:
@IRJ said:
@RAM. said:
@IRJ said:
@RAM. said:
Sticking with my bourbon and coffee mug suggestion :-P. Yeah I inherit garbage that makes little to no sense, you're a great dude Joel.
The sooner he learns our network, the sooner he can help me out
undercover, eh?
Yes sir, after the snafoo went down, I don't want to be a recognizable house hold name, so I comment maybe one or twice a week on the other account to prove I'm not dead, but I'm hanging on my alt to remain somewhat anonymous. Oh and do you guys pay to relocate ;-).
I dont know. I think they might if they found the right fit.
well if you guys need anything
We work very closely with a MSP. They are short staffed right now. We have had many tickets opened with them for weeks. Maybe they could use a remote person? One of their guys had a skydiving accident and he works from home a few hours a week as he is able to.
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We have on Sharepoint a welcome guide. Very handy. Steps you through a lot of new hire stuff.
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If your business stops supporting a client, does the client normally have any documentation of their network, hardware inventory, etc?
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@technobabble said:
If your business stops supporting a client, does the client normally have any documentation of their network, hardware inventory, etc?
I am not a MSP. I am an IT employee for a company
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@IRJ said:
@technobabble said:
If your business stops supporting a client, does the client normally have any documentation of their network, hardware inventory, etc?
I am not a MSP. I am an IT employee for a company
I am more curious in general do MSP or IT shops usually provide documentation for the client to keep. I have documentation for my clients, but I have never actually given my clients any documentation since it seems that none of the other "tech companies" have ever left anything behind. I would presume if a MSP was handling the office, they would get monthly documentation.